Mobilising student power for greater good
With heightened demand for essential services that results in worker shortages in aged care and major supermarkets, Australian authorities are temporarily allowing international students to work more than the standard forty hours per fortnight.
Increasing the workforce
The Department of home Affairs has extended work hours for international students employed at major supermarkets like Woolworths and Coles to meet increased demand for essentials.
Temporary solution
This temporary increase in working hours aims to help manage shortages caused by staff taking leave or undergoing quarantine.
Agile initiative
Both initiatives are measures to address immediate workforce needs during the coronavirus crisis.
The current challenge among aged care employees affected by the coronavirus has brought new offers for international students to work more than forty hours per fortnight.
Since elderly are the most vulnerable to the virus, more workers are taking leave or advised to quarantine if they have flu-like symptoms. International students who are currently employed are expected to fill the worker shortages in the industry.
International students can now work beyond the usual 40-hour limit per fortnight to address critical worker shortages in aged care and supermarkets due to the pandemic.
These extended work hours for international students are a temporary measure to manage staff shortages that impact essential services and grocery supply chains.
Similarly, the Department of Home Affairs has announced to offer more hours to international students who are currently working in major supermarkets such as Woolworths and Coles.
This is because the demand for basic necessities has surged since the coronavirus outbreak. The additional working hours to international students is one way for the Australian supermarkets to keep up with shelf-stockings.
It has been made clear that the said additional hours are just temporary.
